Handkerchief-machine.



M. ADAIR, J. A. CAMERON & F. AINSWORTH.

HANDKBRGHIEF MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1908.

1,026,547. Pa en ed May 14, 1912.

5 SHEETSSHEET l.

J INVENTORS: 5/ J7 WITNESSES: flX Lw W 5 M MM M. ADAIR, J. A. CAMERON &F. AINSWORTH.

Patented May 14, 1912.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2,

FIG. 2.

J W W 65 LM- a3 7% INVENTORS: WITNESSES: I 3 I A, L

M. ADAIR, J. A. CAMERON & F. AINSWORTH.

HANDKERGHIBF MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25, 1908.

Patented May 14, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FIG. 3.

. l 1 I I I I f 1 l l WITNESSES:

M. AD AIR, J. A. OAMBRON & F. AINSWORTH.

HANDKEROHIBF MACHINE. APILIOATION FILED JULY25,1908.

. 1,026,547. Patented May14,1912.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

FIG. 4.

FIG. 7.

fie

- INVENTORS: IWM WITNESSESI u ZMMW,

M. ADAIR, J. A. CAMERON & F. AINSWORTH.

HANDKERGHIBF MAOHINE. APPLIOATIIOH FILED JULY 25, 1908.

Patented May 14, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

("(llllllllllm) WITNESSES:

TU E STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

MonrAGtrE ADAIR, JAMES A. CAMERON, AND FRANKLIN amswomrn; or NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND M COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

if HANDKERCHlEF-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. July 25, 1908. Serial No. 445,398. i i

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that we, MoNTAcUE ADAIR,

' JAMES A. CAMERON, and FRANKLIN Amsavonrn, all citizens of the UnitedStates,

and residents of the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings,city'and State of New York, have jointly invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Handkerchief-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates primarily to machines for makinghandkerchiefs, although it is applicable to machines for performingother classes of work.

In an application filed March 25, 1908, Serial No. 423,143, by MontagueAdair, there is described andclaimed a device for hemstitching orotherwise sewing the edges of a strip of cloth, in the manufacture ofhandkerchiefs or the like. In the device of this application, two sewingmachines for i simultaneously hemstitching (or otherwise sewing) thecloth were provided, together --withan. ziutomatic means whereby whenthere was a. failure of the thread in either machine, the op ositemachine, as well as i that directly a ected, was stopped. The

means adopted for this purpose were mechanical in their character, theparticular construction shown utilizing the driving,

force of the machine to throw off the driving connections. Otherimprovements were also illustrated.

According to the present invention, we aim to provide a machine of thisgeneral character in which the principal operations are electricallyeffected. By this means, we are enabled to simplify considerably theconstruction of the machine.

The present invention also includes a novel mechanism for governing therelative speeds of the two machines. It will be understood that it ispractically impossible to provide two machines which work at preciselythe same rate of speed} Hence in stitching the two sides of a singlefabric, one machine is apt to travel ahead of the other, with the resultthat a certain amount of attention is required. According to our presentinvention, we provide means whereby when one machine tends to run aheadof the other, certain devices come into effect which the error iscorrected. Preferly the more rapid machine is either slowed own orstopped momentarily until the lagging machine has reached approximatelyits proper point, whereupon the more rapid one is again startedi-z Thisaction is performed automatically, preferably b electrical means,although we do not wis to be limited thereto.

.Our-invention also includes certain other features of importance whichwill be hereinafter more fully described. I

In the drawings wherein we have shown several embodiments of ourinvention, Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section, takenapproximately on the line 1--1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a detail of one of iPatentetlMay14.1912.

ESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ADAIR MACHINE A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

the operating handles. Fig. 3 is a plan with the machine heads removed.Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 1 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the side of one I preferably mounted ,onatable a. Power is taken from a driving" shaft 12 by means of belts 0 cwhich rotate stepped pulleys d d which are mounted to run idly uponshort shafts e e. Mounted upon these same shafts are pulleys f f whichare belted to the driving shafts g g of the two machine heads. Mountedon the under side of the table are two three-armed levers k 71. providedwith operating pins 2' i by means of which the pulleys d d may bebrought into engagement with the pulleys f' f to drive the machineheads. On re verse movements of the levers, braking faces 7' j engagethe peripheries of the pulleys f f and stop the latter at the same timethat the operating pins i i are moved out of engagement with the pulleysd d.

According to'the present invention in its preferred form, the movementsof the levers h h are controlled by electro-magnets B B. These magnetsare in circuit with controlling devices mounted upon the machine heads,which controlling devices are 5 oration, while nevertheless if a threadfor one end of the wires S S adapted to operate the magnets to releasethe pulleys (Z (1' when a thread fails on either of the machine heads.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, which show in enlarged form one of the headsof the machines A A, it will be seen that the spool thread m passes overthe usual tension device n and then under the hook 0 of the weight thethread then passes through the tension device (1 and then to the take-uparm 9, whence it passes to the needle 8 in the usual manner. The weightis provided at its upper end with an inclined surface 2. which isnormally engaged by the lower end of a lever u pivoted at Q; to the headof the machine. At the upper part .of the stroke of the takeuip lever 1the lever u momentarily releases the weight 7), which under normalworking conditions is held forwardly atthis time by the tension of thethread m. Vhen the thread becomes broken, however, the weight falls thenext time it is released by the lever u. We utilize this, orthe movementof any other part, to control the action of the electro-magnets B B. Anysuitable means may be adapted for this purpose, and any suitableelectrical system may be adopted for carrying the invention into effect.In the construction shown, the weight moves in a metallic sleeve 7) towhich the wire Q is connected. and is formed with a slanting end a.which is adapted to contact with a plate I) held upon a support ofinsulating material 0 whereby to complete the circuit Q. Q. The oppositehead A is provided with similar mechanism.

By reference'to Fig. 7, which shows the diagram of one system of wiringof our invention, it will he noted that the supply of current ispreferably furnished by a small dynamo X (which is preferablycontinuously driven by the shaft 1) or any constantly driven shaft). Itwill be seen from the diagram that the magnets B B are both connectedto' the dynamo X, and to posts I) b in such manner that when one of theweights 7) drops it completes the circuit through both magnets therebyenergizing the same and liftin both levers 71 it so as to release theclutc es. Normally the circuit is open so that the mag'nctsiexert noinfluence to raise the levers. The levers h h are normally held in theirlowered or clutching position by springs a 0", which by reference toFig. 2 it will be seen surround pins d (or d") which are carried on theends of levers e (or (2) connected with links f (or f) which are pivotedto hand levers g (or 9 rotating in brackets attached to the front of themachine. \Vhen the hand lever g is in the position of Fig. 2 the springexerts sullicient pressure against the lever h to hold the clutch inopbreaks or fails for any reason the magnet B attracts the lever againstthe tension of its spring and throws oif the clutch. When the lever p isin the position shown in dotted lines a small pin 71. engages the underside of the lever and moves it upwardly into the position shown inFig. 1. In this position it is immaterial whether the magnet is workingor not, since the clutch is positively held disconnected. The lever gand its connected parts act in the same manner. The purpose of thismechanism is to provide means whereby either 'machine may be thrown outof action by hand and held in such position for repairs, inspection, orthe like.

By the means just described, two machine heads may be very accuratelycontrolled automatically so that upon failure of the thread of eithermachine both machines are stopped very quickly and certainly. It isfound in practice that the machines are stopped so quickly that thecloth is fed only a small fraction of an inch after the thread fails. i

A very important feature of our invention consists in the provision ofmeans whereby the feeding of the cloth through the ma hines is sogoverned that the machines stitch practically the same amount of clothin a given time. All attempts heretofore to produce a duplex sewingmachine in which each of the machines actually travel at the-same rateof speed, so far as the stitching ofthe cloth is concerned, have failed.It has been found practically impossible to so run two machine headsthat one will not lag behind the other. This is particularly true inhemstitching machines. wherein it is impossible from the standpoint ofpractice to accelerate the passage of the cloth by tension from therear. With a hemstitching machine the cloth can not be forced throughthe machine any faster than it is actually fed by the feeding mechanism.By reason of inequalities in the cloth or mechanism, no two ,machines,as before stated, can maintain a sufficiently equalized feed to permitthe automatic stitching of two sides of a long strip of fabric. Ourpresent invention provides a means for accomplishing this result by theinterposition of governing devices vv iich either slow down the machinewhich is having the higher speed or stop the latter. Of course, anequivalent .means would be to accelerate the lagging machine, but whilethis is within our invention, we prefer for simplicity to reduce thespeed of the faster machine.

In Figs. 2. 3 and 4 wherein we have shown one form of this apparatus,two levers E E are employed. which levers are pivoted on blocks ofinsulating material j j", the pivots of which levers form binding postsAs the cloth Y is fed through the guide mechanism to be described, thelevers E E rest lightly upon its upturned edge and are normally held inahorizontal position so that the circuits S S and S S are maintainedopen. hen one of the machines lags behind the other, however, thetension of the cloth on the side of that machine is slackened. Assumingthis to be on the side of the machine on which the lever E is mounted,such lever will make contact with the screw is, thus completing thecircuit S S.

From the diagram of Fig. 7, it will be seen that when this circuit iscompleted the current will flow through the magnet B on the oppositeside of the machine, thereby throwing oif the clutch and causing theopposite machine A to slow down or stop. -On

the other hand, the action of the lever E has no effect upon the magnetB so that the machine on the same side as said lever continues tooperate. As soon as the feed of this machine has taken up the slack inthe cloth the lever E is raised, which releases the lever it againstarting up the opposite machine. The same action takes place uponlagging of the opposite machine, except that the "lever E is broughtinto action and the machine A is either stopped or retarded. lVe do notwish to be limited in any way to the device shown for accomplishing thisresult. As before stated, our invention includes any automaticadjustl'nent of the machines which will give the results set forth.

Our invention also includes certain improvements in means for feedingthe goods to the two machine heads A A. Great difliculty has heretoforebeen encountered in so feeding the goods that. the strip willautomatically feed into the machine, without attention. There existminor variations in the width of the cloth which somewhat complicate theproblem. as well as the tendency of the cloth to feed unevenly. In theconstruction shown, the cloth is mounted upon a roll m and then is ledover rollers 11! 0 p thence downwardly under a floating roller 9 whenceit passes under hemmer tongues r 'r (see Fig. 4). An important featureis the provision of guides a s which are mounted in inclined positionsso that the edge of the cloth is carried inwardly beyond the hemmertongues 1' "r By these means the edges of the cloth are turned upwardly,as best shown in Fig. 4, before they pass to the hemmers. Bet-ween theguides e a is an elongated rod t which serves to lift the cloth at itscenter. The result of this construction is that the cloth passesaccurately into the hemmers. We have. found it to be of great advantageto so mount and adjust the guide 5 s that a greater amount of cloth willbe turned up at the edge than is required by the hemmer. After turningup this excess of cloth, we reduce it to approximately the proper amountby gages 2' a. By properly. setting the gages upon the rods a very closeadjustment of the cloth is obtained and'the hemmers practically takeonly theiprecise quantity which is required machine, the cloth passesover a guide a which has a forwardly turned portion a and a guided,whereupon the cloth passes over a. roll 5 (which is preferablystationary) which is preferably covered with felt or rubber or anysuitable friction material so as to place a tension upon the cloth. Fromthe roll b the cloth passes under a rod and then up to a take-up roll d(Fig. 2). The roll (i is driven by a belt 6 connected to a pulleymounted on a common shaftwith a pulley g driven by a belt from theshaft 1) or otherwise. To assist in feeding the cloth properly, weprovide. two

horizontally as shown, or which may be inclined so that the inner endsof the guides are uppermost. These guides assist in crowding the clothtoward the center so that any excess is taken up at the center and thefeed of the side edges remain sub stantially constant.

An important feature of the present inping the machines when-a bobbinthread fails. This may be accomplished in various ways. In Fig. 6, thepresser foot 2' is shown as divided. Between the two portions of thefoot is mounted'a knife j the upper edge of which is sharpened. When abobbin thread either breaks or the spool becomes exhausted, the spoolthreadis no longer caught on the under side of the fabric, and after themachine has progressed a few stitches the spool thread being carried bythe work to the needle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. As theneedle reciprocates the thread is carried up over the cutting edge ofthe knife j"'' and upon the next downward movement of the needle thespool thread is cut by the knife with the result that the weight falls,thus stopping the two machines. ii the use of duplex Inachines of thekind set forth, it is possible to run one machine backward, with theresult that the thread instead of inclining to the rear, as shown in Fi5, when a bobbin thread fails, is carrie to the front of the foot by thefeed. \Vhen a machine is so mounted the spool thread can be cut insubstantially the same way as that just described by mounting a shortknife Z (Fi 8) in the rear of the presser foot which Is reversed, thatis to say. a short distance backward in the line of feed.

\Vhile the use of a knife or other means i for severing the spool threadwhen the bobguides a u, Fig. 4) which may be arranged a? a which areadjustably mounted on rods" for the hem. After passing through thevention is the provision of means for stopneedle assumes an inclinedposition from the bin thread fails is of importance, we have found inpractice that such knife may be i :in many cases omitted, provided thecontrolling mechanism 1s so organized as to erly constructed for thispurpose a so by mechanical means and stopped by thetions merely cientslack is produced in the thread m between the tension devices at and 9when the bobbin thread fails to permit the weights to move slightlydownward and thus complete the circuit Q Q and throw off the clutches. A

While we have shown in detail one form of our invention, it will beunderstood that we do not wish to be limited in any way to such form, asmany changes can be made therein without departing from the invention.For instance, the electrical system employed iscapable of widevariation; instead of the controlling weights a lever or other mechanismcan be used.

Our invention in its broadest form includes an electrical means forstopping one machine when the thread of the other fails. We have usedthe term electrical to mean any mechanism'in which the electric currententers to perform a function in connection with the stoppage oroperation of the machines. It is immaterial whether the machines arenormally held inoperation energizing of the magnets or vlce versa. WViththe electrical system illustrated, we prefer to introduce in a shuntcircuit around the generator a red light or other signal.

which will indicate if there is a failure of the currentso that themachines ma be thrown off by hand if necessary. We have also used'anelectrical system in which upon the failure of the current all of themachines would stop. This' has involved the use of either relay magnetsor circuit breaking means at the controlling weights or levers which areoperated upon the failure of the thread or lagging of a machine. Forsimplicity, we prefer the electrical system outlined herein and refer tosuch modificaas equivalents of the illustrated system.

In the construction described we have illustrated means for entirelystopping the feeding mechanism for the cloth, the stitching mechanismand the sewing operation, it being preferred to bring the entire machineto a state of rest. The principal. feature, however, of the-inventionfrom this standpoint is the stop-ping of the sewing operation. In thisconnection we have used the word stop to .indicate an absolute stoppageor the substantially equivalent exeration of such machines to run onema-' chine for a short distance under the manual control of the operatorwhile the other machine is at rest. This desirability or necessity forindependent control is greatly increased by the addition of thegoverning devices provided by the present invention. These devices, asbefore stated, change the relative speeds of the machines which requiresthat the device be so constructed that such changesare possible. 1

What we claim is 1. The combination of a plurality of independentlyoperable sewing mechanisms for making seams in a fabric, andelectrically-operated means for automatically stopping the making of theseam on. one mechanism when a thread of another mechanism fails. I

2. The combination of a plurality of independently operable sewingmechanisms for making seams in a fabric, means for manually controllingthe independent operation of said mechanisms, and electrically-operatedmeans for automatically-stopping the making of the seam on one mechanismwhen a thread of another mechanism fails. 3. The combination of twoindependently operable sewing mechanisms for making seams in a fabric,and electrically-operated means for stopping one mechanism when a threadof the opposite mechanism fails.

4. The combination of two independently operable sewing mechanisms formaking seams, in a fabric, clutches for saidmechanisms. adapted to beindependently operated,

andelectrically-operated means for operating the clutch of one mechanismto stop it when a thread of the .opposite mechanism fails. v

5. The combination of two independently operable sewing mechanisms formaking dependently operable sewing mechanisms for making seams in afabric, means for manually controlling, the independent operation ofsaid mechanisms, and electricallyoperated means for automaticallystoppin the making of each seam when a thread o one mechanism fails.

, when a thread of'either machine fails.

9. The combination of two independently operable sewing mechanisms formaking seams in a fabric, clutches for said mechanisms adapted to beindependently operated,

and electrically-operatedmeans for, operat- 1 ing the clutches ofbothmechanisms when a thread of either mechanism fails.

10. The combination of two independently operable sewing mechanisms formaking; seams in a fabric, and electrlcallybperated means forautomatically stopping the making of both seams when the spool thread ofeither mechanism fails.

feed two sides of a strip of fabric, means for independently controllinthe operation 1 d of each such means, stitchorming mechanism cooperatingwith one of said means,

and electrically-operated mechanism for stopping the other of said meanswhen a thread of said stitch-forming mechanism fails.

12. The combination with two hemstitching machines of an electricallyoperated controlllng member for each machine, and

throw-oft devices for both machines, said controlling-members being eachadapted to f actuate both saidthrow off devices. 7

13. The combination with two hemstitching machines of an electricallyoperated controlling member for each machine adapted to be operated byfailure in the tension of the thread, and throw-oil devices for bothmachines, said controlling members being adapted to actuate saidthrow-oft devices.

when either of said members is operated.-

14. The combination with two sewing machines of electrical means forstopping said machines when a thread in either machine fails, andseparate hand operated means for also stopping each of said machinesindependently of the other.

15. The combination with two sewing machinesof means for automaticallyaltering the relative speed of such machines.

16. The combination with two sewing machines of automatic means forelectrically altering'the relative speed of such machines.

17. The combination with two sewing machines of means for automaticallyaltering the relative speed of such machines, such.

means being operated by the edge of the fabric.

18. The combinationwith two sewing machines of electrical means forautomatically altering the relative speed of such machines.

19. The combination with two sewing machines of electrical means forautomatically altering the relative speed of such machines,

"such means being operated by the edge of the fabric. 1

20. The combination with two sewing machines of means for automaticallydecreasing the speed of one machine when the other machine lags.

21. The combination with two sewing machines of electrical means fordecreasing the speed of one machine when the other ma- I simultaneouslysewing two seams in a fab- 11. The combination of means adapted to entmechanisms for simultaneously sewing two seams in a fabric, and meansfor automatically adjusting the normal relative sewing speeds of suchmechanisms whereby to cause the fabric to travel substantially evenlythrough said mechanisms.

25. The combination-of two sewing machines and means controlled by thefabric in one machine for automatically altering the speed of the othermachine.

26. The combination of two sewing machines and means engaging the fabricof one machine and operated by the tension of such fabric toautomatically control the movements of the other machine.

27. The combination with two sewing mechanisms of means for operatineach of said sewing mechanisms indepenc ently of the other, andelectrically operated means for stopping the sewing operation of bothmachines when a bobbin thread of either machine fails. 1

28. The combination of two s'ewingmechanisms of means for operating eachmachine independently of the other, and means for automaticallygoverning the relative speeds of said machines.

29. The combination of two sewing mechanisms of means for operating eachmachine independently of the other, and means for' automaticallygoverning'the relative speeds of said machines, said means beingcontrolled by the fabric.

30. The combination of two independently operable sewing machines ofmeans for turning up the edges of the fabric operated upon by saidmachines, and means controlled by the tip-turned edges of the fabric forgoverning the relative speeds of said machines.

31. The combination of two independently operable sewing machines ofmeans for turning up the edges of the fabric operated upon by saidmachines, means controlled by the rip-turned edges of the fabric foroverning the relative speeds of said machines, said means comprisingfingers resting upon said up-turned edges, and means in connection withsaid fingers for stopping or. slowing each of said machines.

32. The combination with two sewing machines of two clutches, one foreach machine,

means for releasing said clutches when a thread of either machine fails,and governing devices connected with said clutches,- said governingdevices being adapted to release the clutch of one machine when theother machine travels at a relatively slower speed.

chines of a clutch for each machine, a magnet for each machine, saidmagnets operating said clutches, and means for operating both of saidmagnets when a thread of either machine fails.

34. The combination with two sewing machines of a clutch for eachmachine, a magnet for each machine, said magnets operating saidclutches, means for operating both of said magnets when a thread ofeither machine fails, and governing means for each machine each reducingthe speed of the opposite machine when the speed of its lnvn machinedecreases.

In witness whereof, We have hereunto signed our names in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses- Witnesses:

EUGENE T. MYERS, FRED WHITE.

